Where are new grads getting hired?

Nurses Job Hunt

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I'm a new grad in the San Diego area who's desperately trying to find a job. I graduated with an associates in May and got my RN license in July. There are very few new grad opportunities in Southern California, and even fewer for those of us without a BSN. I tried getting my foot in the door by working and volunteering in two different local hospitals, but that hasn't helped at all. It's become apparent that I'll have to move to a different city or state to get a job. But where do I go? I've been doing online searches, but I can't seem to figure out where people are hiring new grads with an ADN. I realize that more and more places around the country are requiring BSN's, but surely there has to be a place left in the continental U.S. where a new grad with an ADN can get a job. Does anyone know where this is? Can anyone point me towards the right region?

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Specializes in Hematology/Oncology.
I'm a new grad in the San Diego area who's desperately trying to find a job. I graduated with an associates in May and got my RN license in July. There are very few new grad opportunities in Southern California, and even fewer for those of us without a BSN. I tried getting my foot in the door by working and volunteering in two different local hospitals, but that hasn't helped at all. It's become apparent that I'll have to move to a different city or state to get a job. But where do I go? I've been doing online searches, but I can't seem to figure out where people are hiring new grads with an ADN. I realize that more and more places around the country are requiring BSN's, but surely there has to be a place left in the continental U.S. where a new grad with an ADN can get a job. Does anyone know where this is? Can anyone point me towards the right region?

north dakota, the midwest

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north dakota, the midwest

SNF, LTC, Clinic, Dr office as well!

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Specializes in MedSurg, PACU, Maternal/Child Health.

If you want hospital experience...try "unpopular" locations that do not attract many people to want to work there. So avoid big cities! For ease in hiring states such as North and South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana appear to hire new grads and not require BSN. Also any rural/small town areas are good options...upstate NY, small towns in Pennsylvania, Texas border towns. Basically do not go where everyone and their mom wants to move to.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.

I live in Arkansas and there are smaller community hospitals that just want RN's. We even still have LPN's working on some floors and in the pool.

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I would try other options besides hospitals before picking up to move. I applied EVERYWHERE in the greater Chicagoland area, I mean as far as Kankakee. And seriously was up for driving two hours to and from work each day for 12 hour shifts. Finally, I was getting desperate and found myself nightly on google maps, thinking, "I guess I could do Alaska for a year...." (I'm serious folks.)

When I started answering the adds for LTC, rehab centers, and ambulatory surgery centers I got a lot of call backs. I took a job which is not exactly that great right now (I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed), but after I started a lot of other places started giving me interviews and offers. Even if you don't get what you want at first, eventually, you'll probably get a call back for a good job right in your city. But, I understand how frustrating it is on the job hunt.

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dude! i was in the same position as you a year ago! relax...wait... don't! use that stress to be productive...apply even if it says you require some experience. also, network!

we all have been there, at one point i didn't think i would get any job offers and seriously, i was working as a can for a hospital which i really didn't want to work at but said hey, if they are willing to place me in a new grad i would do it... anyway, that didn't help cause they chose someone else.

anyway, two months later and not a peep and then my first offer, and my second...after the forth i really was humbled... i stuck it out and said no to all cause i really just wanted an ER position with county. I finally got it a year after graduating! so seriously! calm down (: apply and expect it to take a bit of time.

oh, and from experience, i can tell you that moving to another state is a huge mistake. i was going to move to atlanta for a new grad position that paid 12 dollars less an hr... and no patient to nurse ratios. it would have been such a drastic move all because i didn't want to wait... I'm so glad i didn't take the first offer to come my way.

btw, no one is requiring bsn more and more... seriously, it takes 9 months and 9k to get it online from so many schools. relax, if you really want your bsn just do it online and get it over with. thats honestly not gonna help you. i have co-workers who spent 80-150k in tuition loans and are in the same boat... we all got the same jobs and guess what? my schooling was free! now since i plan on retiring with county, county is more than happy to help pay for my msn (have a bs in something else)

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Specializes in School Nursing, Telemetry.

Smaller towns are probably your best bet. I originally lived in a suburb of Portland, OR but moved to Coos Bay (small southern Oregon coast town about 4 hours from home) and was hired as a new grad with an ADN about two weeks after graduation at a hospital (nurse intern position with hiring on as full time after 12 weeks of internship). With that being said, a great deal of my classmates found jobs soon after graduation, too and many didn't have to move, some in the county jail, LTC, hospitals, and community health. Uncertain whether the move was unnecessary or not in light of all their success with being hired in town. I was just impatient to get the ball rolling!

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If you want hospital experience...try "unpopular" locations upstate NY... Basically do not go where everyone and their mom wants to move to.

As an UPSNYer it isn't too bad here ;)

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I agree.. I am in upstate NY and lots of my classmates are getting jobs!

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dude! i was in the same position as you a year ago! relax...wait... don't! use that stress to be productive...apply even if it says you require some experience. also, network!

we all have been there, at one point i didn't think i would get any job offers and seriously, i was working as a can for a hospital which i really didn't want to work at but said hey, if they are willing to place me in a new grad i would do it... anyway, that didn't help cause they chose someone else.

anyway, two months later and not a peep and then my first offer, and my second...after the forth i really was humbled... i stuck it out and said no to all cause i really just wanted an ER position with county. I finally got it a year after graduating! so seriously! calm down (: apply and expect it to take a bit of time.

oh, and from experience, i can tell you that moving to another state is a huge mistake. i was going to move to atlanta for a new grad position that paid 12 dollars less an hr... and no patient to nurse ratios. it would have been such a drastic move all because i didn't want to wait... I'm so glad i didn't take the first offer to come my way.

btw, no one is requiring bsn more and more... seriously, it takes 9 months and 9k to get it online from so many schools. relax, if you really want your bsn just do it online and get it over with. thats honestly not gonna help you. i have co-workers who spent 80-150k in tuition loans and are in the same boat... we all got the same jobs and guess what? my schooling was free! now since i plan on retiring with county, county is more than happy to help pay for my msn (have a bs in something else)

Listen to this person. I took the first job offer that presented itself to me twice and ended up in dangerous and crazy places. Just don't do it. I may end up leaving nursing, and I worry that I ruined my career. I wish I had known that it is okay to take 6-12 months to get your first "real" job; it does not mean you are a failure. AND you get a forced vacation time.

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Hi AKagan,

I'm in California as well. I usually find a lot of opportunities on indeed.com, craigslist, usajobs.gov, and county websites. I don't have my license yet, but have been looking. Are you willing to apply anywhere? I've heard that new grads are hired in long term care facilities, dialysis clinics, blood banks, flu shot clinics, community clinics (like planned parenthood and other non-profits) and prisons (which actually pay a ton). My brother is a corrections officer at San Quentin and said the nurses there get treated well and are never alone with inmates. At that facility, since it's max security, nurses start at around 8000/month and go up to 10 or 11000. Also, try checking the direct website for each local hospital because some don't use job boards. I've also heard from former classmates that they've had success applying even when it says BSN required. One got a research nursing job at UCSF. If you're willing to go out of state then North and South Dakota are good options. They are building several new hospitals and the area is booming. I have around 6 classmates that moved to North Dakota and have been working since they got their licenses, they even got a couple thousand for relocation.

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